WEST PALM BEACH, Fla. — After 13 years together, Cher and Joey Wilson made the spontaneous decision to tie the knot.
Their relationship has been anything but conventional since the start. The couple initially crossed paths back in the 1990s at a rock bar, where Cher was employed as a bartender and Joey was performing on stage with his band. Their journey has included dating, splitting up, marrying others, and raising children — experiences that now seem distant.
For the last thirteen years, they’ve been nurturing their family together in Louisiana, and have spent the last three in Florida, even adopting the symbols of marriage through rings and shared last names. However, it was just two weeks ago that Cher, 52, decided to surprise Joey, 51, by signing them up for an annual group wedding organized by the Palm Beach County clerk’s office.
Cher expressed her excitement about the event, saying, “The fact that it’s in this historical courthouse and that we get to celebrate in our paradise — it was a no-brainer to me. It had to be memorable and special to share this moment with so many others, especially in West Palm, where we built our home.”
On the day of the wedding, Cher wore a floral-themed white dress, while Joey donned a plaid flat cap and a vest accented with a red rose. As Clerk Joe Abruzzo led the ceremony, the couple held each other closely as they exchanged vows. They promised love, support, and a home filled with affection and trust: “I promise to love and cherish you, to give you my strength, to help you in good times and bad, and to make our home of love and understanding. I will give you all of my trust and all of my tomorrows for all of my life,” they recited together.
In less than ten minutes, their long-standing commitment to each other, their family, their shared passion for music, and their life in West Palm Beach was celebrated among 30 other couples who, like them, were embarking on a new matrimonial journey. Cher described the moment as absolutely perfect.
All participating couples stood together in front of the courtroom, where Clerk Abruzzo officiated the ceremony. Many couples wore matching colors, ranging from red and black to stunningly elegant white gowns. This event marked the 12th consecutive year that the clerk’s office has hosted a free group wedding, with local florists and photographers eagerly volunteering their services for this cherished Valentine’s Day tradition. Similar marriage events have also taken place in other regions of the state, including Miami.
Clerk Abruzzo highlighted the fulfillment he derives from the event, stating, “We manage over 1,000 varied duties in our office, but this is by far the most gratifying and exciting. To be able to celebrate on Valentine’s Day, the day of love, and witness couples share their passion is truly special.”
As couples made their way down the historical marble steps of the county’s original courthouse, adorned with white and blue petals, they looked forward to brunch or honeymoons, ready to embrace the next exciting chapter of their lives.
